National Park Service: founded in 1916; manages more than 84 million acres in 407 units; welcomed 292 million visitors in 2014; 21,000 employees; annual budget of almost $3 billion. Learn more at http://www.nps.gov/aboutus/index.htm.

Forest Service: founded in 1905; manages 193 million acres in 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands; roughly 30% of all federal land; 30,000 employees; annual budget of roughly $6 billion. Learn more at http://www.fs.fed.us/global/aboutus/welcome.htm.

Bureau of Land Management: founded in 1946; manages 245 million surface and 700 million subsurface acres; roughly 40% of all federal land; manages 380 recreational sites, 21 national conservation areas, 16 national monuments and vast areas of open public land; annual budget of roughly $1 billion; roughly 10,000 employees. Learn more at http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/About_BLM.html.

While the missions and resources managed by these agencies vary, the fundamental challenge they and the subcommittee face is the same: balancing the near-term use and enjoyment of our natural resources with the goals of long-term conservation and responsible stewardship.

Such a balance is best achieved when these agencies are adequately funded and staffed and engaged in large-scale, long-term planning and management activities which value not only resource and economic development but also less easily quantifiable benefits such as exploring primitive areas in solitude, witnessing wildlife in action and retracing the steps of our forbears.